Well, I can’t let the whole month of September pass without acknowledging back to school time for the kiddos . This year was particularly special because I have a kindergartner and second grader. That means everyone is in the same spot for the first time ever. It feels like a big milestone as a mom.

Reid going to kindergarten has been bittersweet. It is so exciting for him to be at big school. He is thrilled to do all of the things Lacey has done and I can tell he thinks he is big stuff. He is proud and challenged in such a good way.

However, kindergarten is an adjustment. It wears them out like nothing else. My even keeled boy is all kinds of cranky by the end of the week. It has taken a few weeks but finally he is settling in and as a family the routine is feeling more normal.

Second grade has been a seamless transition which I’m thankful for. Lacey is excited to have her brother at school but slightly annoyed at having to share her special place. She has made it clear that she is the seasoned veteran and we all need to remember that.

September often feels like a blur and survival mode is the mantra. October is such a fun month in comparison so I’m ready for the next chapter!

Lacey is officially eight years old and I’m full of cliches about where the time has gone. Part of me can’t believe I’ve had this Mom gig for so long. I still feel like a newbie yet I’m halfway to the driving years. I have no doubt the second half will buzz by even faster so I’m trying to savor the every day, even on these sometimes looong summer afternoons.

No big parties this year for the girl. She wanted her cousins from Greenville to come and spend the night so we had a cousin sleepover. It was the first time we have done it and all of the kids felt so grown up. I see a tradition brewing!

And speaking of traditions, one of my favorite birthday traditions is the annual questionnaire from Leelou Blogs. The kids look forward to their question session every year. It is always fun to look back on last year’s quiz. And once again the answers are so very dependent on what has transpired in the last few days or even hours.

Lacey suddenly remembered that her favorite animal is actually a dolphin and not a monkey but it was too late for changes. The surveys are so off the cuff that you just never know what you might get but that is the fun part.

Lacey is still our sweet and headstrong child. She waffles between extreme generosity and an iron will that could test the most patient of souls. I am proud of her for working to overcome literacy struggles over the last couple of years. She is plenty bright but it is nice to know she can work hard and buckle down if necessary. She has also proven to be a very good friend and is rarely involved in any drama in that sense. She tends to ride a roller coaster of emotions at home but is perfectly even keel in the classroom. Lacey is anything but predictable and she keeps our lives interesting whether she is building a structure out of recyclables using all of the tape we own or hosting a tea party for plastic farm animals.

Today is Lacey’s sixth birthday. And I have to say I’m a little flummoxed by the whole “six” thing. I just can’t quite wrap my brain around that number. I was perfectly content with five yet here we are.

Last year, I started a birthday questionnaire tradition, thanks to a download from Lelou Blogs. I got a kick out of reading the 2012 version so I know that each year it will provide a good dose of “where we are now.”

The funniest thing about these questionnaires is that they are directly proportional to anything that has occurred in the last six hours. That being said most of it rings true. She is taking after her Mama with the ribs & wings. She very clearly did not like her quesadilla at dinner, thank-you-very-much.

The most humorous switch from last year is her taste in music. Sweet preschool songs are being replaced by catchy pop tunes. I hold art class directly responsible for “Who Let the Dogs Out?” because that is the kind of music that really awakens your inner muse, apparently.

Here’s to hoping that six doesn’t take the sweet out of my girl! She is goodness to the core with a handful of spice thrown in for good measure.

Dear Friends, Yesterday was Lacey’s birthday. She is FIVE years old. Which seems impossible but strangely appropriate all at the same time. She is at an age where she thinks she knows it all. And then some. If I said the sky was blue, she would say, “don’t forget the white clouds, Mommy.” The debate team may be in her future. Lacey is the definition of sweet and salty. She is the kindest, most generous, and loving child laced with a stubborn streak that stretches from here to the Mississippi. Girls these days need spunk so I’m glad she has a smidgeon.

I found this fun questionnaire from Leelou Blogs on Pinterest. You ask your child the same questions each year on their birthday! I don’t have a family blog and am lackluster at best with scrapbooking and the like. This kind of thing saves the day. It is a healing balm for my Mommy guilt.

Lacey answered all of the questions immediately. No hesitation. Most of the answers were expected but she did manage a few curve balls. Last year, chicken nuggets may have been her least favorite food. This year, they rock, apparently! She says her favorite song is “God Made the World” which is a school favorite. At least she didn’t say, “Moves Like Jagger” like she did at circle time in My Gym. Embarrassing moment #673. Let’s blame Daddy.

Playing with Reid is her all-time favorite thing to do for sure. She adores her brother. I have to remind her that she is not his Mommy. Her nurturing instinct is large and in charge.

Bowling? Say what. Why not, go with poker on ESPN?

My favorite? The last question. She definitely wants to be a Mommy but there is no way she is having a baby. I’m not sure what she knows about having babies. We’ll wait a few more years for that conversation.

How about you? Do you scrapbook? Or keep memory books? Or are you two years behind like me?